Alignment holder for dies



July 16, 1946. R o, FERGUSQN 2,403,916

ALIGNMENT HOLDER FOR DIES Filed Feb. 2l, 1945 2. Sheets-Sheet 1 Jobelta'ezgwoll,

az, 'Y f" July 16, 1.946. R. o. FERGUSON 2,403,916

ALIGNMENT HOLDER FOR DIES Filed Feb. 2l, 1945 2. Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 16, 1946 ALIGNMENT HOLDER FOR DIES Robert O. Ferguson, Bristol, Tenn., assignor to Bristol Steel & Iron Works, Inc., Bristol, Va.- Tenn., a corporation of Virginia Application February 21, 1945, Serial No. 579,032

(Cl. lOl-28) 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for holding a stamp, die or like instrument in proper position. Means are provided for retaining the die in proper position Within the holder after the die has been struck by a hammer or like instrument in order to be in position for a new operation, i. e. again striking the die with a hammer.

An object of the invention therefore is to provide a stamp or die holder which will always maintain the stamp or die in proper position within the holder.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the die is always positioned perpendicular to the work.

A further object of the invention is to provide a die holder with resilient means for holding the die against one side of the holder.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a die holder which prevents the die from moving downwardly too great a distance within the holder.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this class which is cheap to construct, which requires no repairs and which is a convenient holder for the die whether it is in use or otherwise.

Other objects will appear hereinafter from the specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 illustrates a side elevation of one embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the form shown in Figure l but viewed at right angles thereto.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the die holder disclosing the die within said holder in full lines.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the die shown in Figures 1 to 3.

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the die shown in Figures 1 to 3.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 3.

Figure '7 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 7*-1 of Figure 3.

Figure 8- is a perspective view of certain of the parts including the spring and holding means therefor shown in the other gures.

Figure 9 is a side elevation of another embodiment of my invention.

Figure 10 is a, longitudinal sectional View of the device shown in Figure 9 with the die shown in full lines.

Figure 11 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line II-II of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line |2-I2 of Figure 10.

Figure 13 is a side elevational view of a third form of my invention.

Figure 14 is a longitudinal sectional View of the device shown in Figure 13 with the die shown in full lines.

Figure l5 is a bottom plan View of the die'and holder shown in Figures 13 and 14.

Referring to Figures 1 to 8, which disclose one embodiment of the invention, numeral l indicates the holder which may be conveniently of square cross section. One of the sides 4 of the `holder is provided with an opening slot 5 which extends the entire length thereof. The holder has a squared opening extending longitudinally of the holder for the reception of a die to be described hereinafter, and the slot 5 communicates with the hollow interior.

Extending from one side face l1 of the holder are headed screws 66 and 15. These screws have cylindrical extensions 22 and 23 respectively on their ends, and such extensions, when the screws are in position, lie within the upper and lower portions of the slot 5. The numeral 8 indicates a spring of bowed shape. This spring is preferably flat on its sides. A wire spring may be used in place of a flat spring. One end of the spring 8 is in the shape of an eye in order to substantially completely surround the cylindrical portion 22, The opposite end l0 is of U-shape, and the free end permits the spring to become almost iiat when the die is forced into place. As indicated in Figure 3, the flat inner side of the spring bears against the die and maintains it in stationary position. This will prevent the die from falling out should the holder for any reason be inverted.

It will be appreciated that the loop or U-shaped portion l0 of the spring permits the springto slide with reference to the cylindrical extension 23 while still retaining the spring in position for all conditions of use, and whether the die is within the holder or whether it has been removed for the insertion of another die.

As indicated in Figure 4 the opening for the reception of the die is preferably square in cross section, i. e. at the top of the die. The sides of this opening continue the same from the top to the bottom of the holder with the exception of the extreme end. The extreme lower 'end of the opening is provided with two webs I5 and I6, as shown particularly in Figure 7. These Webs are semi-circular on their exposed edges, Vand they form a stop for the die i9. In other words they faces permit limited downward movement of the Y die but will prevent the die moving downwardly any more than a short distance.

The holder shown in Figures l to 8 therefore, because of its at bottom surface, insures the ac curate positioning of the die with regard to the work, i. e. when the holder is placed on the workpiece it accurately positions the die I9 at right angles thereto so that when the die is struck with a hammer the member 2 will not strike the workpiece a glancing blow. The member 2| will accordingly make an even impression on the workpiece. The webs l5s |S insure against the die being dropped out of the holder, and its spring 8 forms a resilient holding means for the die so that after the same has been struck with a harnmer it may be brought back to the position shown in Figure 3 by merely pressing the bottomof the die holder against a flat surface.

The structure shown in Figures 9 to 12 is similar to that shown in Figures 1 to 8, but in the former the holder is provided with a slot 3| which does not extend the entire length of the holder. In this form pins 31 and 38 extend across the slot. The upper pin 31 forms a support for the eye 35 of the spring 34, and the lower pin 38 forms a sliding support for the U-shaped end 35 of the spring. The holder has a iiat bottom portion 33 and a curved top portion 32.

The holder is also provided, as in the aforementioned figures, with a hollow squared interior which houses the die 39. The die 39 is provided with a top portion 40 and an imprinting portion. The sides of the holder 3D extending on opposite sides of the slotted side are knurled as indicated in 44 and 45. The bottom portion of the holder is provided with webs 42 and 43 which limit the downward movement of the die in its holder.

In Figures 13 and 14 the holder is indicated at 50, the` slot at 52, the screws 53 and 54. These screws are similar to the screws indicated at 66 and 15 in Figure 8. A spring 85 is provided with an eye 55 which surrounds the screw 53, and its opposite end 56 bears against the screw 54. The sides located adjacent to the side provided with slot 52 have notched-out portions indicated at 86. Only one of these is shown in Figure 13 in side 5|, but it will be understood that said notches are provided in each of the opposite sides.

The square sides of the holder and the notches 86 which may be forced down so Vas to straddle the work piece X (Figure 13) allow for mo-re accurate positioning of the die with regard to the workpiece because the square sides of the holder are properly positioned` by the notches engaging the work piece X, the holder thus by its squared interior accurately positioning the die whose square sides engage the square interior of the holder. The numeral 51 indicates the usual die having a head 58 and lower converging sides 59. 61 indicates the iiat bottom portion of the die.

In Figure 15 is shown a bottom plan View of still another form of the invention. In this figure numeral is the holder. This holder of magnetizable metal is provided with an open slot 52' extending lengthwise of the holder, The holder has been magnetized so that the open ends 52a and 52D form north and south poles, respectively. In other words the entire holder forms a. magnet which tends to prevent movement of the die 50 within the longitudinal recess 69 of the holder.

In place of the die shown, any suitable stamp type holder, or other tool may be used.

Instead of knurling two sides of the holder, as indicated at 44 and 45 of Figure l1, only one of these sides need be provided with a, knurled surface. The provision of only one knurled surface will indicate to the user the exact position of the holder, i. e. the position of the die in the holder in order to prevent using a character or letter in an upside down position, Assuming the die has been placed in the holder in such -a position that the character will be in upright position when the knurled face of the holder is held by the thumb of the workman, the workman will know that as long as the knurled surface is held in a position directly in front of hirn the figure on the knurled surface will be in proper position for impression and not in an upside down or sidewise position.

The description and drawings having been furnished for illustrative purposes only, the invention is to be construed in such manner as to include all embodiments within the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A holder for a die or other similar tool, comprising an elongated casing having a longitudinal passage for the entire length of the casing for the reception of a die, an elongated Islot extending through an outer wall of said casing to said passage, said slot extending for at least a major portion of the length of said casing, an elongated spring, said spring having a bowed central portion and end portions, said slot having parallel walls, securing means mounting one of said portions on one side of the walls of said slot, another of said portions being located to extend into said longitudinal passage, said portions being adapted to frictionally engage a side of a die locked in said passage whereby to position said die therein.

2. A holder for a die or other similar tool, comprising an elongated casing having a longitudinal passage for the entire length of the casing for the reception of a die, an elongated slot extending through an outer wall of said casing to said pas's'age, said slot extending for at least a major portion of the length of said casing, an elongated spring, said spring having a bowed central portion and end portions, said slot having parallel walls, securing means mounting one of said end portions on one side of the walls of said slot, another of said end portions being located to extend into said longitudinal passage. said portions being adapted to frictionally engage a side of a die locked in said passage whereby to position said die therein, and one of said portions of said spring being movable between said walls.

3. A holder for a die or other similar tool, comprising an elongated casing having a longitudinal passage for the entire length of the casing for the reception of a die, an elongated slot extending through an outer wall of said casing to said passage, said slot extending for at least a major portion of the length of said casing, an elongated spring, said spring having a bowed central portion and end portions, said slot having parallel walls, securing means mounting one of said end portions on one side of the walls of said slot, another of said end portions being located to extend into said longitudinal passage, said portions being adapted to friotionally engage a side of a die locked in said passage whereby to position said die therein, and one of said portions of said spring being movable between said walls, said spring having an eye and said securing means extending through said eye.

4. A holder for a die or other similar tool, comprising an elongated casing having a longitudinal passage for the entire length of the casing for the reception of a die, an elongated slot eX- tending through an outer casing wall of said casing to said passage, said slot extending for at least a major portion of the length of said casing, an elongated spring, said Spring having a bowed central portion and end portions, said slot having parallel walls, securing means mounting one of said end portions on one side of the walls of said slot, another of said end portions being located to extend into said longitudinal passage, said portions being adapted to frictionally engage a side of a die locked in said passage whereby to position said die therein, and one of said portions of said spring being movable between said walls, said spring securing means comprising pins extending across said slot at spaced points and said spring having an eye at each of its end portions, said pins extending through said eyes.

5. A holder for a die or other similar tool, comprising an elongated casing having a longitudinal passage for the yentire length of the casing for the reception of a die, the passage defining openings at opposite ends of the casing, an elongated slot extending through an outer wall of said casing to said passage, said slot extending for at least a major portion of the length of said casing, an elongated spring, said spring having a bowed central portion and end portions, said slot having parallel walls, securing means mounting one of said portions on one side of the walls of said slot, another of said portions being located to extend into said longitudinal passage, said portions being adapted to frictionally engage a side of a die locked in said passage whereby to position said die therein, and means partially extending across one of said openings for restricting the movement of said die in one direction when located in said passage. i

6. A holder for a die or other similar tool, coniprising an elongated casing having a longitudinal passage for the entire length of the casing for the reception of a die, an elongated slot extending through an outer wall of said casing to said passage, said slot extending for at least a major portion of the length of said casing, an elongated spring, said spring having a bowed central portion and end portions, said slot having parallel walls. securing means mounting one of said end portions on one side of the walls of said slot, another of said end portions being located to extend into said longitudinal passage, said portions being adapted to frictionally engage a side of a die locked in said passage whereby to position said die therein, and one of said portions of said spring being movable between said walls, said securing means comprising a plurality of spaced pins, one end portion of said spring having an eye through which one of said pins extends and said other spring end portion being adapted to slide on said other pin when said bowed portion is engaged by a die.

ROBERT O. FERGUSON. l 

